The New Orleans Saints are planning to evacuate to the Dallas-Fort Worth area because of Hurricane Ida, according to sources.
The team plans to depart on Saturday afternoon before the storm, which is expected to hit land as a Category 4 hurricane along the Louisiana coast on Sunday afternoon.
If Ida forces the club to stay for an extended period, the Saints are slated to train at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.
The Saints’ original training schedule included training sessions on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The team’s tentative plan is to stay in the area through Wednesday.
Team officials spent much of Friday hastily making travel arrangements and securing hotel rooms in the area.
This is not the first time the Saints have been evacuated before a storm.
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Hurricane Katrina forced the Saints to relocate their home base to San Antonio for the entire 2005 season. In 2004, the Saints practiced in San Antonio for three days during the preseason to avoid Hurricane Ivan. They emigrated to Indianapolis for a few days before Hurricane Gustav in 2008 and then followed a few years later, in 2012, to Cincinnati because of Hurricane Isaac.
The Saints had a contingency in the works prior to Hurricane Delta last year, but the trail shifted west and the Saints stopped. If conditions in New Orleans had worsened, the team would have evacuated to Indianapolis and played against the Los Angeles Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night.
Ida is expected to hit land on Sunday afternoon.
For Ida to become a Category 2 hurricane, its sustained winds must reach at least 96 miles per hour. Category 3 status starts at 111 mph. Category 4 status starts at 130 mph.
A hurricane warning applies to all coastal Louisiana communities, including Orleans Parish, which is where the Superdome is located, and Jefferson Parish, which is where the team’s training facility is located.
This story evolves. Please check again for updates.
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